So heartbreaking. Laney Brown, 8, passed away on Christmas morning, just days after she was granted her 8th birthday wish of meeting her music idol, Taylor Swift. Laney, who battled leukemia, inspired 10,000 people to gather and sing carols outside her home to make her very last Christmas merry.

Taylor Swift granted Laney Brown, 8, her dying Christmas wish: the young girl, given only days to live by her doctors after her cancer became untreatable,wanted to meet Taylor on her Dec. 20 birthday and have a few people come sing carols at her home. Not only did Taylor call Laney through FaceTime on her birthday, but more than 10,000 carolers gathered outside of her West Reading, Penn. home to sing to her on Dec. 21. Sadly, the girl who inspired thousands of people to come together in song passed away in her home on Christmas morning, Dec. 25.

Delaney “Laney” Brown had the power to bring people together, as evidenced by the thousands of strangers who came to her home to spread the holiday cheer.

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Weakened from her cancer treatments for acute myleoid leukemia, Laney was unable to go to her window to see the enormous crowd of about 10,000 that had gathered to sing her songs — but she could sure hear the beautiful music her supporters made outside her home. “I can hear you now!!! Love you!” Laney wrote on Facebook on Dec. 21.

The crowd, along with a personal FaceTime call from her country music idol, Taylor Swift, organized by Apple made Laney’s last birthday and Christmas bright — but she also brightened the holidays of millions of people across the world with her powerful story and brave spirit.

Taylor has reached out to so many of her young fans, and was actually named #1 on DoSomething.org’s “Top 20 Celebs Gone Good” list of 2013.

Laney Brown Dies On Christmas Day

Unfortunately, Laney passed away early on Christmas day. “Our little angel on earth earned her pink glittery angel wings in heaven,” Laney’s family wrote on her Facebook page on Dec. 25. “She took her last breath at home in her bed at 3:10 surrounded by all her family and friends. I miss her so much already.” Laney’s mother asks for supporters’ continued prayers for their family — including Laney’s younger sister who is grieving the most.

Our thoughts are with Laney’s family at their time of loss, and hope they receive comfort from the thought of how many people Laney brought together over the holidays.